There's a plaque on my office wall that says, "And these words shall be upon your heart and you shall teach them diligently to your children. Love, faith, joy, kindness, patience, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, forgiveness, hope, compassion, peace."
Along with faith, goodness, hope and compassion, this plaque is listing all but one of the Gifts of The Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
It has left off, "self control"
.
"I have to speak - I have no choice. I have to say what's on my heart"
There is always a choice.
"Self Control".
I am able to see how my ABBA has transformed my heart. I am able to see through the transformation how His Fruits have and are multiplying. I am also able to see, although "self control" is the last one listed, it is the key element for the beginning of a transformation into becoming whom He made me to be.
I had to allow ABBA to come in and sweep clean my heart, soul, mind. Unfortunately it is a continuous process, but He is an immaculate, always present caretaker. I had to give up my "self" and follow His lead.
It used to be I always felt "I" had to defend myself. my actions. my thoughts. my decisions. "I" had to be, or try to be, in control. Usually that consisted of words coming out of me through my flapping mouth or my fingers striking keys on the keyboard. And just like a boomerang, some of those hurtful words came back and kicked me right in the...........well, you know.
Nowadays, "I" just doesn't feel like defending "me". In any way. shape. or form. I leave it up to my ABBA. It has come through the fruit of Love. of Forgiveness. of kindness. of gentleness. of faithfulness. of goodness. of compassion. It has only been because of looking at all through His eyes, I am able to have self-control.
The funny thing is - through this fruit of self-control - I am able to have such freedom. Through His heart transformation, my repenting, I am now able to also enjoy the fruits of hope and peace.
He has given me the realization, when searching of my heart through His Word, through prayer, through the counsel of godly persons - this is where self-control has to live. I have to have the self-control to remove, or change, behavior which is not Christlike. Self-control needs to focus on what needs changed about me, not others. "I" don't have to defend "me"! In this realization, He has removed all my desire to point out what someone else has said or done. They already know. And ABBA knows.
He has taught me the Fruit of Self-Control is choosing to be consumed by ABBA-Control and the things "I have to speak - I have no choice.
I have to say what's on my heart", need to be words of Him.
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